Dovetail Games Mbta Commuter - Community Q+a Thread

Why no pre order discount? AKA what’s the point of a pre order if it’s just at full price? Not like the product is arriving by post…

What particular “icon” or “monumental” feature does this route offer that the existing US commuter routes particularly Boston Sprinter don’t already do?

Why does the route only go to Worcester rather than Springfield as per the TSC version? In fact, if we already own the TSC version - set in the classic US diesel era with Alco’s - what incentive is there to play this?

Boston Sprinter had all the Journey elements set in dreary winter with a howling blizzard. Please say this isn’t so on the new route?

We know this route has been delayed. Can we be assured for £30 with no pre order discount it is in a credible state for release and not another botched DLC with vague assurances of fixes to come and after six months consigned to the forgotten dustbin like all the other routes?

And still on topic for anyone considering parting with £30, are there going to be significant TSW5 core bug fixes prior to release so the new route is not being played on the rather poor state the main game is currently in?

 

Why no pre order on xbox

 

I know that there are many US routes that will add layers to this one. Which one will make the greatest impact in terms of additional services for someone who doesn’t have any of them and considers to buy one or two in addition to the MBTA?

 

Why is there no Weekend timetable like there was in San Bernadino?

 

Why aren't we getting the newer order of Rotem CTC-5/BTC-4D cars along with the older order? They are similar, but with small differences in the bell, horn, front paint (for the cab car) and the vestibule doors. Would not be hard to add.

 

Hi! Yuri here!
(Yes I'm the gal from the timetable article)

Can we get a proper look at freight operations and a proper slow flyover of the entire CSX Worcester intermodal terminal and interlocking? I would love to see how much matches up with the research photos I tried to send off to the scenery team back in August.

Also can we get a look at the remains of Beacon Park outside Boston?

 

Good question, although there's no answer that could make any sense ( for the buyer ).

 

I'm suprised they didn't mention Beacon Park at all in the articles

 

Unless that is a preorder price and the full grip will be £32.99!

 

What door chime will be used? the American or British one?

 

Will the MBTA subway be featured as AI trains along the route?

 

Why won't Boston Sprinter get any substitution from this route? Is there a technical reason for it? Why can't it work like german routes where most locomotives and dosto cab cars can substitute anywhere?

 

While the freight layers are taken from references sent by community members which I do appreciate for the accuracy, this has created an extensive list of nearly every NA freight route (plus a loco add on) with unique freight to activate. This comes a little over a year after TSW4's AVL required Cajon pass to unlock freight, and Sherman Hill or Cane Creek to get accurate motive power for the area, and the displeasure was voiced enough to get responses from DTG. So the main question to this is, Why is there not a more basic requirement for freight, like Sandpatch Grade, and then additional layers for accuracy purposes, so that it maximizes the amount of players that can experience the added freight layers? Or at least add some of the freight rolling stock to the DLC directly so the required DLC list is not as extensive. This is around $176 of DLC not including potential extras like the dash 8 or SD40 from new journeys if I did my math right.

My next question has been echoed before but its worth bringing up again: Why are we not getting the bilevels and HSP46 layered into Boston-Providence? It has already been stated that there are set consists of full bilevel sets for certain runs, why can we not get these consists to layer in and skip the whole consist randomization? I of course don't have the concrete reason, but I assume consist randomization requires all the available cars to be part of the route, and I understand the hesitance to add a completely new engine and car to a 3(?) year old route.

My last question stems from a few people talking about it in discord: Were the F40PH-3C sounds updated at all? And if so will these sounds be updated for Boston-Providence as well? It is said that the audio team records everything they can get access to on reference trips, and there is a photo on the October road map of both the F40 and GP40MC lined up with audio being recorded of the F40, just interested to see if anything is coming from that photo or just a "get it because we can" type of thing.

 

IRL the British one is used on the Rotem Bilevels, and the American ones are used on the Kawasaki bilevels. So assume the British one.

 

Are the cars always gonna be randomized? Or can we pick just full bilevel and full single level and a mix?

 

Why there is no 10% pre-order discount. This ruled off for this sole reason. I have every NA route available even though I never play them much. Would have got this too if there was a discount. Now I have to wait for some sale then.

 

How long will the freight trains be? Around 100 units or 50 like in AVL only. And please don't forget to bring back the fast moving external camera on consoles.

 

Will there be automated announcements on-board the MBTA train?

 

What was the process of research for this route.

 

I second this question. It seems pretty common that on German routes the new locos automatically seem to become subs on older appropriate routes. Why not for the US routes (first the MP36 didn’t come to AVL and now now no HSP46 on Boston-Providence).

For the coaches it’s understandable since that requires timetable modifications but for the locos it should be relatively easy?

 

Why are the requirements for freight trains so strict? If I don't have a Horseshoe and a Sherman I won't even get AI freight?

 

The reason for so many DLCs for freight is for accuracy. I'm a stickler for accurate looking trains. So I was originally gonna have Joe do just Horseshoe, Sand Patch and Cajon. And for intermodal, that's all you really need to get that working. But for manifests, we decided to make them look real for once. DTG is not great at making manifests, and I've been complaining about that since Train Sim World 2 when freight car substitution was ripped out.

I so wish it you guys didn't need to own so much. I spent days going back and forth on whether to cut it all down for new players or go for accuracy. The original plan I had was just Cajon and Sand Patch, if anything at all. But I added Horseshoe Curve because I'd kick my own ass if I left out TOFC (Trailers On FlatCars).
(I should clarify I did not work on the timetable directly, that hard work is all Joe. I just gave data)

I think personally some of the cars should have been included in this route as to reduce what you needed to buy. If I was working with DTG directly, I would have totally pushed for that. I could try to bring it up with Joe for like a future patch, but I wouldn't hold my breath that anything would come of it.

I can break down the exact reason for some of the DLCs
CSX Worcester Intermodal Terminal Layer
Sand Patch: CSX locomotives and 56ft Gunderson Husky Stack Wellcar
Cajon Pass: Gunderson Maxi Stack IV 3-Pack Wellcar
Horseshoe Curve: 89ft flatcar for trailers

Main freight services
Sherman Hill: boxcar, reefer, covered hopper, tank car
Sand Patch: covered hopper, tank car, boxcar, CSX locomotives
Horseshoe Curve: boxcar, covered hopper, tank car (possibly twin bay hopper)
BNSF SD70ACe: All four color centerbeams
Cajon Pass: boxcar, flatcar, tank car, covered hopper

I hope this helps clear things up!

-Yuri

 

Yuri, I, for one, appreciate the detailed answer. This is the information users like me can use in discussions with DTG. Thank you.

 

Will the safety systems work better on this route because boston sprinter they was not that great.

 

No worries for me i have all the necessary dlc s for the freight..just hopefully it will work well in the route ,i hope they can show the freight layers in action on the stream today

 

Great work Yuri. I hope somdays there will be new US freight route based on your immense american freight knowledge.

Thank you very much Yuri!

 

I hope to see them too. Once the route is out I'll do a deep dive video explaining all the services (player and AI) and where they go.

 

Just the one question:

Is there any consideration of adding the HSP46 and CTC-5 cab car to Boston-Providence's timetable at any point?

 

If I understand correctly, there will be AI Acela trains in Boston.
Have the issue with the Alerter going off in the rear cab of AI Acela trains been fixed?
If so, will the fix carry over to the other routes?

 

Is there gonna be a ton off depot moves like boston sprinter cause if there is more off them then journeys then think i will give it a miss even though I would want but them depot jobs are so boring

 

Why did you choose this route for NA? Also is there any PA announcement aboard the train and on the platform and station. Is there PIS System in the train and platform

 

Will the textures be blurred like on other routes?

 

DTG's official response Vern..

 

On the

I have owned sand patch grade since TSW2..why do I have to pay for it again..thanks

 

Dude, easy with the quoting, learn to use the forum features, you can preview what you're about to post before hitting the submit button.

 

You don't have to pay for it

 

I take it that means my questions were not addressed or only part answered during the stream..?

 

No idea, I don't watch that shyyy......uuh rubbish.

Sorry Vern I'm doing that humour thing again, don't worry about it .

 

So, the level crossings don’t work properly, traffic drives straight through them and the coaches open their high doors on low platforms and low doors on high platforms…. Perfect…. None of that could get spotted in about 30 seconds of testing then?

 

From what I saw, only the cab car didn't operate the high-platform ramp properly. If that's the case, then it's the same bug as from Boston Sprinter.

 

Looked to me like they were both the wrong way round when Matt goes to show off the first station with the high platform

 

No worries here, I tend not to watch the streams either. However the post below yours indicates it looks like they are shovelling out another piece of half finished £30 dog poo. My money can rest easy in its Steam Wallet for WCMLOS in a couple of weeks and I’m also eyeing Skyrim SE to grab in the end of November sale.

 

Glad these 2 minor bugs are the only things wrong so far, it could’ve been much worse

 

Unless you are being ironic I would say grade crossings not working properly is a pretty major issue. Perhaps MBTA and any freight operators along there will be none too impressed to see, even if there is no actual collision.

 

This whole "why wasn't this spotted during testing" thing needs to stop, they are obviously spotted, but they aren't deemed important enough to fix prior to release.

 

Almost all routes have you drive through cars and most level crossing don't work

 

Doesn't mean it's right to not fix it or release in that state though. Not for £30. Sloppy route building and testing at best.

 

I agree with if I'm spending £25 plus on a route I want it perfect but that will never happen

 

You must have zero DLC then!